Break Away
by Mist.Filled.Eyes
Summary: Gaara Sabaku hates his celebrity lifestyle. One day he offers a ride to a man he's never met and Sasuke tries to teach a man who's never really lived to do just that; live his life the way he always wanted to.
1. Sasuke Uchiha, PhD

Sasuke pulled the blanket up over top of him and let the black and white cat walking in front of the couch jump up. "Hey Jynx, are you as tired as I am?" He scratched the cats little white ears and smiled to himself when she purred with joy.

Jynx, his ex-girlfriend's cat who'd taken a liking to him, kneaded the blanket on his chest happily and spoke to him, "Purr-mew!" In her own odd little way Jynx talked with him a lot, she never really told him anything thought. Just sort of reminded him that she knew when he was addressing her.

Sasuke leaned his head back against the suede couch and for once let himself just enjoy the night. He'd been dating the same woman for 4 years, since he was 17, and on the night he intended to propose to her, she decided to tell him that she was leaving him for another man.

_The last Uchiha was nervous, it wasn't visible but he definitely was. He kicked his feet up onto one counter and sat on the other. Joyce scuttled around the kitchen, cleaning and cooking at the exact same time. He took a deep breath and let his girlfriend's scent wash over him. Strawberries, she always smelled like the small red fruit. _

_He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her flush against him. "Joyce, I have something we need to talk about."_

_Joyce tensed, she flicked her long raven hair out onto her left shoulder and looked over her right to meet Sasuke's onyx eyes with her baby blue ones. "Good because i have a topic too."_

_"Ladies first," He smiled and kissed her nose. She probably wanted to go back to University - even though she was already toting 2 degrees - and felt guilty because he was often working so they couldn't get together._

_"Okay, give me one second." She went away and when she came back there was a man on her arm. "Sasuke, you've met my assistant professor Rendon."_

_Sasuke stood up. "Yes, I've met him. Why is he here Joyce?"_

_"Let me put this very plainly for you Sasuke." Rendon spoke up. "Joyce is leaving you, she's coming with me."_

_"You. Shut up. Joyce, if you want to go, tell me. Don't let him." Sasuke's senses were reeling, Joyce wasn't like this. They'd been together since they were teenagers and she'd been the one to tell him that she'd never cheat on him so long as he didn't. So he never did, and he'd thought she'd done the same._

_"I've been with Rendon for a year now Sasuke and I can't keep stringing both of you along. I don't want you anymore; you were just something to keep me on my feet until someone better came along."_

_Sasuke nodded. This was her house, and he would not allow anyone the satisfaction of seeing how badly that hurt. Bow out with grace, hurt them back that way._

_"I understand Joyce, I'm glad I could be of service. I wish you both as many happy times as you and I have had and more." He left the apartment, got on his motorcycle and didn't stop riding for the next 10 hours. _

He paid for it later, his ass was sore for a week. But for those ten hours he didn't have to think about anything. Not Joyce, not the pain, not anything. For those glorious ten hours he was simply Sasuke Uchiha out for a ride not Sasuke Uchiha recently made ex-boyfriend. Everything was pretty peaceful after that, he lived his life as normally. Completely destroyed at home, but professional everywhere else, it wasn't hard to fake happiness. For three months he heard nothing from anybody then Joyce showed up at his door with Jynx in her arms.

_"Sasuke!" She sobbed and put Jynx in his house then clung to him sobbing. He held her up but did nothing more. No words of comfort would pass his lips for her ever again. He'd made that resolve while out with Naruto a couple months back. "Oh Sasuke, I missed you so much! Rendon he said I couldn't call you or anything..." Joyce went on and on about how horrible Rendon had been and Sasuke could feel his heart melting._

_"Joyce," He murmured to try and get her attention, "why are you here?"_

_"Because I love you, because I made a mistake." She leaned up and kissed him. Sasuke felt one single tear roll down his cheek and remembered that he'd never cried over the loss of his once-love. Dimly Sasuke realized that Joyce was still kissing him and he pushed her away._

_"We can't be together again, please leave." He gently pushed her out the door and shut it. Then he leaned his forehead against it and held himself in check. Joyce would not hurt him again. _

She never did. Jynx stayed with him, even though he left his door open enough times for her to run out and go find Joyce. Jynx was a really smart little thing, she'd find Joyce if she looked. He checked his watch, his shift started at 8:00am and it was 1am now. 7 hours sleep was better than nothing, the raven rubbed his purring cat absently as he fell asleep slowly.

Sleep...he'd been missing it for a while...

..

**Beeep...Beeeep...Beeeeep...**

Sasuke jerked awake with a small exclamation and Jynx growled and jumped onto the coffee table. He ran a hand through his hair and began trying to control his breathing. That same dream, he shrugged it off and stood up. The alarm started going off again and he turned it off. His alarms were set minutes apart from each other to ensure he stayed awake.

He stretched slowly and made his way into a shower. Cleanliness was incredibly important for him, what with where he worked and all. Hospitals were based completely on their ability to stay clean if the doctors working there weren't perfectly spotless they ran the risk of passing along deadly germs and viruses to the patients within them.

Like Olivia and Tammy. Olivia and Tammy were two sisters in the pediatric ward he was in charge of taking care of. He ran his hands through his hair to push shampoo through and began lathering the raven locks as his train of thought continued its journey. Their parents were upstairs on floor seven, the coma ward, because of the car accident they'd been in. Also the reason that the young sisters were in his ward. As far as they were aware the car accident was rotten luck. Sasuke was one of a select few made aware of the fact that Olivia and Tammy's parents were upstairs because the hit man sent to kill them botched the job and put the whole family in the hospital.

Not dead.

Luckily the Tramers were well-off money wise and could afford to stay in the hospital without either working. Stock markets could sometimes be a wonder, they were constantly making money. So Olivia and Tammy would not ever go into foster care, if they did ever feel like leaving the ward it was when he got permission from the hospital to take the whole ward out somewhere nearby.

He finished rinsing out his hair, got dressed in his usual black and navy blue scrubs - one of about 2 doctors at the hospital who wore scrubs - and left the apartment. He snatched his umbrella from near the doorway as a second thought and locked the door behind him.

The walk to work was just like normal, the same people he saw every morning waved hello to him and he nodded back with a warm if false smile. He strolled into the hospital lobby and immediately passed off his umbrella and coat to a nurse.

"Good morning Harriet, off to buy breakfast for us?" He smirked and she sighed as she pulled on his coat. "Of course you are, my coat is in the ward is it?" He raised one eyebrow and she nodded.

"Sasuke Uchiha it worries me how you do that, sometimes I wonder if you know my thoughts before I do." She giggled and left with his coat and umbrella. Sasuke walked towards the elevator hit the little button and frowned. When the hell did he become so comfortable with everyone at the hospital that he could let someone walk with his coat.

In his old lifestyle he wouldn't have even let her within a foot of him. But then again, in his old lifestyle he never would've let anyone within a mile of him.

Harriet had reminded him so much of Joyce. They both had the same kind and open smile, and their senses of humor were the same. Which actually had caused problems with his relationship for a while. Joyce had been concerned that he was cheating on her with Harriet, now he considered that ironic. She'd been concerned, then went ahead and screwed Rendon behind his back for a while before leaving him.

Sasuke shook the thoughts from his head as the elevator chimed softly to alert him to the fact that he had arrived on floor five. He took a deep breath and ran through his mental list of things he needed to do...damn there was a lot on the menu for today.

"Good morning all." He greeted with a grin as soon as the door opened. Sure enough 9 faces smiled up at him. "Deromi, you shouldn't be out of bed." Sasuke scolded softly and the little boy graced him with a guilt ridden smile. Sasuke knew the boy didn't speak, ever, and that he suffered from night terrors, but it helped his sleep habits if everyone treated him like he was totally normal.

"Ladies," He greeted the 5 women of the ward, "Let me put Deromi back in bed and then I will deal with all of you." He tucked the little boy back in then ran through the usually checks he performed on their equipment and took a seat in front of everyone. "So, what do we want to do today? I got permission to go out after lunch. I can I pick up all manner of things at the grocery store if we want to do lunch or something?"

"Lunch, definitely lunch." Olivia nodded hastily, her purple hair swinging in every direction with the motion. Recently cut too, he had taken the two sisters to get their hair cut when they asked last week and they were both still enjoying the new freedom of short hair.

"Can we have fruit? Like strawberries and blueberries and apples?" Tammy tossed him a hopeful glance from beneath her own short purple hair, those bright brown eyes shining with hope, Sasuke nodded. "Maybe kiwi's too?"

Sasuke outright laughed and nodded. "Yes, kiwis too. But those are snacks. What do we really want?"

And the day continued like that. Sasuke was a doctor, he'd gotten into the medicine field under the recommendation of the doctor he'd met so many times, and he was damn good at it too. Sakura, the woman responsible for him being where he was, was much better at then him but he was he good with kids so Sakura had placed him there the moment he was done getting his PhD.

Sasuke scowled at himself in the mirror. The kids thought it was a good idea to plan a sneak attack on him while he was finishing off a file on Deromi. So while he'd been in the middle of writing out a rather tediously detailed description of his current situation, the children had been gathering up all the cans of whipped cream they could get their hands on.

So he got doused in whip cream.

He wiped the remainder of the now melted cream from his face and threw out the napkin. A quick glance at the time told him that his shift was over. Sasuke sighed miserably, straight from here to his other job, then home.

He gathered his umbrella and coat then left, walking back outside into the miserable rain.

_Well, _he thought, _at least it let up long enough for me and the kids to have fun._

After walking for 6 blocks Sasuke got sick of the rain, sick of the wet and sick of the day in general. _Time to hail a cab, _he thought as he leaned out and began trying to wave a cab down.

Cabs, in this city? Sasuke mentally calculated his odds of getting a cab, deeming them to be around 45%, and waved a little more desperately. The water slapped into his skin and chilled him to the bone, fueling his determination to get one of the annoying yellow cars to pick him up.

A black car, simple in design but Sasuke recognized money when he saw it, pulled up in front of him. The man in the driver's seat smiled warmly and spoke, "Hey, would you like a ride? I'm going wherever you are."

Sasuke hesitated. On the one hand he'd never seen this man before, didn't know if he was a crazy killer, and he'd never heard a ride offer like that before. On the other hand it was a nice, warm and comfy looking car. Sasuke was a black belt, he could handle himself...

Sasuke ran through a few more pros and cons before sighing and getting in the car.


	2. The CEO of Suna International

"There he is," a woman murmured to another, "that's the red head I was telling you about. He's the one who's notorious for his like week-long relationships, but I tell you. Every one of those women leave him a very happy woman. Not a penny richer either, he's never gonna marry anyone of them." The woman, by the name Marisol, addressed her friend quietly, "Ash, you'll be hard pressed to catch his eyes, let alone keep his attention."

Ash, short for Ashley, was a beautiful woman. She would hardly call herself feminine, no one else would either, but she knew she was pretty. Long flowing black hair and shiny green eyes. Abnormal eyes too, they shone like lights and with her pupil - a very cat like slit - they were very hard to miss.

_So is he..._she thought to herself. Gaara Sabaku was the current CEO of Suna International. According to the newspaper, his father originally had an idea, but the man's alcoholism ran the business into the ground. When he died, Gaara was 15 years old and a child prodigy. He'd already gotten himself a business degree. The young red head took over the business under the watchful eyes of the entire country. The whole world had wanted to know how the hell a 15 year old was going to run this business that spanned the globe.

But he'd done it and well. He put the business back in the black and put it above every other business in the country. The young boy had expanded it from weaponry to medicine and by the time he was 18 had a PhD under his belt as well. A licensed doctor, not practicing, and a CEO. Of course he drew eyes. Ash's interest was hooked from the moment she saw his face in the picture. So her friend, a business woman herself, brought her along to the biggest party she was attending that month to see if perhaps the 21 year old genius would be there.

"Hard pressed, sure. But impossible? No. I'll do this."

With that, she'd left the side of Marisol and approached the fiery tempered red head. To the day Marisol swears that she saw his interest jump when Ash cleared her throat to catch his eye.

3 months later and Ash was officially the longest running lover the red head had ever had. She stretched languidly and groaned softly when her back cracked. The cool air tickled the bare bronze skin on her back and an answering sigh from her right reminded her that she'd not gone to bed alone last night.

"Gaara, you've got to wake up. You've got meetings to attend and fat cats to make happy."

A few locks of red hair shifted and Ashley knew Gaara was burying his face in the pillow and beginning the process of thoroughly ignoring her. She reached over and ran one freezing fingertip down his spine and watched the goose bumps rise. She placed her whole hand on the base of his spine and snickered when he shivered. While he made himself regain consciousness she glanced at the difference between the two of them. She had such completely darkened skin and he was pale as a ghost. Deep jade eyes looked up from the pillows and Ash leaned down to let him kiss her good morning.

"Meetings...brilliance...fat cats...it's a wonder I survive the day." He smirked and Ash laughed. He came off so stern but he was hilariously gentle in his everyday life. The 3 cats running around the apartment could attest to that.

"Mew!" Speaking of. Ash looked down towards her feet and recognized the almost yellow cat that Gaara had named Naruto. He told her it was the name of a friend not unlike the little yellow cat. Both, he said, were insanely hyper and driven. The second cat, the one slowly making his way up Gaara's back was Suna, so named to remind the CEO of home. Suna was the most snobby cat of the bunch, but he was definitely willing to get himself in trouble to benefit friends.

'Naruto was outside once and a couple of alley cats picked a fight. Naruto couldn't handle them both but Suna got between them and got beat up so bad that I had to take him to the vet that same hour. I remember Naruto felt so bad that the entire time they were keeping Suna drugged and in the cage, even though he hated it, Naruto wouldn't leave his side. The only time I ever saw them sleeping together was that time.' Gaara had told her that story when she asked why Suna's ear had the smallest little chunk taken out of it.

The last little kitten was Ash's favorite. Blossom. She had almost a pink tinge to her white fur and Gaara said he might as well name her Blossom, because Sakura was too formal. Accordingly, when Ash asked about the obvious reference to one of his doctors on staff, he laughed and mentioned that she was a old friend.

"Oh good morning my baby girl." Ash picked up the little pink cat and nuzzled her little face. Gaara mumbled something about loving his cats more than him and Ash merely gave him a glance and nodded. "That's because your cats won't run out every time the phone rings."

"Not fair, that phone could be someone telling me that my entire life is crashing down around my ears. Phone calls are very important in my lifestyle." Gaara stood and Ash looked him over. All lean muscles and straight planes.

_And totally comfortable in his own skin..._Ash glared. Gaara strolled to the bathroom completely naked and completely oblivious. "I'm taking a shower. Are you coming with me?" One eyebrow raised and the love tattoo on his forehead raised with it. Ai, the kanji for love was tattooed on the upper left side of his face and Ash vividly remembered running the tip of her tongue over the red lines found there.

"Oh, definitely."Ash rose, dimly noting that she was only waking up at 7:30pm on a week day. No wonder all the women he slept with left him happy. Not many men could afford to stay in bed with you all day then leave for work at 7:30 at night. There was something about that that made you totally relaxed and completely joyful.

Gaara Sabaku left the apartment building a half hour later and found himself driving around. Ashley Tatiana had been his lover for 3 months running, but he had told himself that he'd give her 2 weeks before breaking up with her. 3 and a half months was a record and the job offer he was getting her at the biggest paper in the city should keep her from going completely loco. Then again, she'd never find out that he was the one giving her articles to the editor of the paper. As far as she was aware, that paper would have just noticed her works.

_So the question becomes; will she be like all the others and fade away and leave me as a distant recollection or will she go crazy?_

That had happened once when he was 19. A boyfriend went crazy, tried to kill him, Gaara hadn't left the house for a week because he couldn't stop shaking. It was an episode he'd tried to block out, unfortunately when a celebrity name was beaten to all hell by their current lover it was very publicized and many a person wanted to interview you about it. So for a month Gaara had his public relations leader screening questions and covering all things media-y.

It had not been a pleasant month and much of it was spent out of the country to give the PR man the excuse that Gaara was out of the country and therefore unable to field all these questions himself.

He turned the corner and his eyes landed on a man reaching out to try and hail a cab. Pitch onyx hair and determined eyes to match, his umbrella was up and open but it was angled wrong and the water was running through his hair and down onto the knee length coat. For a moment Gaara was about to just keep driving, but something compelled him to pull over. So his black solstice pulled up alongside the man and Gaara made the offer. The man got in a moment later. At first they both stared for a moment then Gaara offered a hand. "Gaara Sabaku. You?"

"Sasuke Uchiha, thank you for picking me up."

His eyes were wary though, and Gaara had been to enough meetings to see that he was being assessed for risk and insanity levels. When he was deemed sane and risk-free Sasuke cautiously reached out to shake his hand. Gaara smiled warmly and Sasuke smiled back.

"So where are you headed?" The red head put his eyes back to the road and pulled back out into traffic. Sasuke seemed to gage him once more then speak.

"Suna International. The medical side, please." Gaara restrained his reaction. This man worked for him? Sasuke Uchiha, if he worked on the medical side he had at least a Masters degree. This, hottie, doctor worked for him and Gaara had no idea? Damn, the CEO made a mental note to review the staff of both sides in his building. There was so much potential. Of course, if this man worked for him then telling him that Gaara ran the company would be a freaking good conversation killer - how do you compare to a multi-billionaire. Hell, his name was practically a household name. That this man didn't react meant he focused too much on his work to care.

"You're a Doctor?"

"Yes. You?" Gaara didn't nod, he had a doctorate but he didn't want to seem too familiar. So instead he shook his head.

"No, I work at Suna International though. I'm a numbers guy though. I probably figure out your budget." Gaara shrugged. It was true. Gaara actually paid the budget, this guy's paycheck as well, but no way was that passing his lips.

"Really?" Sasuke's eyes widened, it was good to meet someone that worked in his building. Someone he didn't have to constantly prove himself around. A number-cruncher would hear doctor and there would be the immediate respect of that amount of work. Sasuke had to admit though, the number-crunchers got his respect as well. All those zeros made the Uchiha's head spin. "Are the offices there really as big as they say? A friend of mine works in the PR department and he says all the offices are twice as big. The guy who runs Suna has to really worry about comfort."

Gaara had instant admiration for this onyx eyed man. He had sat down with the architect himself to plan the building, he didn't want one big room with a small hive of cubicles. Comfort had in fact been the goal. Comfortable people were happier with their job, they also worked faster and better. Ultimately, comfort equaled profit. Sasuke Uchiha, Gaara thought, was definitely someone he'd have to look into.

"Yea they are, they're all roomy and they really keep them organized. How about in the medical department? I've never met anyone in your area." Partial truth. He'd met with the head of the department, Sakura Haruno, to discuss rearranging her schedule so she could log some hours at the hospital. Evidently a friend of hers had been wanting to get in pediatrics and needed a good name to recommend him. His age had been a factor and he wanted to prove a young person - Sakura was only 20 a year younger than him - could be an accomplished Doctor.

"Amazing. Dr. Haruno told me that the CEO had talked with her personally about the design and that she and he had spent a good day and a half designing this place. It turned out beautifully. I didn't know a lab could look homey but they pulled it off nicely." Sasuke smiled and Gaara could tell that he really did appreciate the work that went into the building. Gaara nodded as he thought, if it really did help to make the workers happy perhaps he should take his sister's advice and throw that Christmas party. He had 3 months. That was definitely enough time to plan something. He had that huge hall in the Cicero hotel on retainer, one phone call and it was his.

"Out of curiosity one of my friends works in the higher offices and he dropped a hint that there may be a Christmas party. What do you think?"

"Who's the friend? If it's credible..." Sasuke raised one eyebrow, both of them were staying in the vague area of 'one of my friends' and it was time to begin searching out sources to check this guy's authenticity.

"Shikamaru Nara." Gaara said the name with the confidence of a long-time friend and he was. They had known each other growing up and Shika married his sister only recently. Gaara had been the best man. Of course, the wedding had been well publicized. Vaguely Gaara felt some concern for this man's connection to the outside world. How the hell did he manage to miss the wedding?

Sasuke nodded. Friends with Shika! Perfect. Sasuke could make one call and prove this guy a liar or not. Shika and he had know each other as children, before Sasuke moved and they'd kept in touch. Shikamaru wasn't directly involved in the company but Sasuke was aware that he'd married the CEO's sister. But damn it all Sasuke never even thought about who the hell the CEO was. He was just the guy in charge to Sasuke. Nobody really all that important.

"I don't know, it'd be fun if it wasn't like a business meeting. At my last place of employment the Christmas party was spent discussing business and work." Sasuke chuckled at the memory. If nothing else, Suna International was much more lively. He used to work at just the Hospital and a small laboratory in a doctor's office. It was horrible.

The last Uchiha quickly did another threat assessment of the man beside him. Fire red hair and warm, swirling azure eyes. The love tattoo drew his eyes for a second, but he looked too professional to have gotten that anytime recently. The dark silk vest over the darker pressed shirt screamed that he took his job seriously. His hair however was still tousled, almost bed head. So he didn't really care much about his physical appearance. Ultimately, nothing all that threatening. Hell his entire demeanor invited Sasuke in.

Gaara nodded thoughtfully. This shouldn't be too difficult. Gaara smiled to himself. "Well, we're here." Gaara stopped at the front of the building and Sasuke quirked one eyebrow. "I work the other side of the building remember. There's no point of me parking out front here when I work on the other side." Gaara shrugged and Sasuke nodded with a small ah.

The Uchiha could have smacked himself. Leave it to him to play the fool. Sasuke extended a hand. "Well it was nice meeting you Mr. Sabaku-"

"Gaara. My name's Gaara."

"-Gaara. Thanks for the ride. Maybe we'll see each other again." Sasuke exited the vehicle and walked into the building. Gaara pulled away and went into the parking lot. He'd only really stopped because he couldn't very well park in the visitors area, but he couldn't park in his own parking spot. There was a sign that read Gaara Sabaku CEO there and that would give him away to an idiot.

The red head admitted to him-self that he hoped he'd meet Sasuke Uchiha again. In 7 minutes he'd made quite the impression on his boss. Gaara tugged out his cell phone and called his sister.

"Temari. Pull up an employee file and leave it in my office. It's the file of a man in your med-lab; Sasuke Uchiha."

_Yes, _Gaara nodded to himself as his sister gave an affirmative reply, _definitely someone he needed to keep a better eye on..._


	3. Shikamaru's Opinion

As a general rule Temari Sabaku stayed well away from her baby brother's sex life. It was simply better for her sanity. However her little brother had never asked for a specific personnel file on a specific person, and he'd never wanted it as soon as he got in the office. Gaara had taken the file said a

curt thanks and disappeared into the office, casually stealing an apple from her hands as well.

The blond had previously resolved to run a quick check on the medical personnel. Now she was going to scrutinize Sasuke Uchiha thoroughly enough to find out why Gaara was suddenly so interested in an employee. Gaara used people yes, but he had never slept with an employee. Temari nodded to herself, she would find out what Sasuke Uchiha had that the 300 other people in this building didn't.

On her way to the inspection she stuck her head into her baby brother's office, smiled at the sight of her brother and husband chatting casually. Gaara's pen was in his mouth, meaning he was actually focusing. _That's good,_ she thought, _at least they get along._

"I'm on my way to inspection. Care to join?"

"No thank you Temari." Gaara declined politely, like he did every time, though little did Temari know there was a good reason. Gaara wasn't too sure he wanted Sasuke knowing he was the CEO. Maybe if Sasuke didn't know, didn't google him either, the red head might actually make a friend based solely on compatibility.

"Shika?"

"Evidently I'm to expect a phone call and Gaara wants to be there when it comes." Shika had risen slowly from his chair, straightening his suit coat as he did, he made his way across the room as he spoke, "So no thank you." He kissed her cheek and shut the door when she clicked away down the hall.

_A phone call? _Temari shook the thought off, who cares? There was a lot of phone calls in this building every day. She waved slightly to the secretary she knew so well. Ino Yamanaka grinned briefly then scowled, her blond amigo looked much too pensive for her usual thoughts. "You okay?" She raised one eyebrow politely and Temari shrugged before approaching and half sitting half leaning on the desk.

"Why the hell would you request the personnel file of one person when you have never done so before?" She mused and Ino sat quietly for a second before nodding to herself and speaking out loud.

"I would do so if i was really curious about whoever I'm looking into. May i ask why the hell Kankuro did this?" At Temari's head shake she gasped. "Gaara requested the file? Can I come meet him, I know you're going downstairs to see who the fuck this guy is." Her platinum hair fell down into her ice blue eyes and she glittered them merrily at her only real girl friend. She had several acquaintances but she only had a few girl friends ; Temari Sabaku, Sakura Haruno, TenTen and Hinata Hyuuga. All of the above were viciously independent women in their own way. Regardless of who they were dating.

And they were dating. Temari was married now to Shikamaru Nara, who worked the logistics with Gaara for a little bit - which was where he encountered Temari's wrath - now he was a lawyer for the company and the best one around. Sakura was with Rock Lee, He ran a branch of the most prominent martial art dojos in the city. TenTen was in love with Neji Hyuuga - another business tycoon under the apprenticeship of his uncle.

Hinata Hyuuga was a special case. She was in love, but not dating. She was in love with Naruto Uzumaki. The blond bombshell was a lot of things and Ino often found it difficult to qualify him as anything. Unlike most of her friend's lovers Naruto wasn't wealthy. He was a normal guy with normal tastes. He loved Hina too but they'd known each other so long that they were both worried about ruining the relationship by asking the other out.

"So who's the guy?"

"Sasuke Uchiha." Temari deadpanned the name. It meant absolutely nothing to her, except that he'd been a person that Shika invited to their wedding but had been unable to attend.

Ino spluttered and faltered in her step. Sasuke Uchiha? It took Temari's odd look to realize that she'd spoken out loud. "He's got quite the past. He's brilliant, and had a nasty life. Whole family murdered in one night by his brother, the guy is still locked up."

"Oh god, this is the last Uchiha! I thought it was a coincidence with the name."

"No. Sakura found him. She was 6 when the killings happened but she thought nothing of it until she was fourteen and her parents told her they were taking in a foster kid; Sasuke. He kept an erratic schedule, staying for a month before leaving for 5 months and showing for 3 months. Her parents never minded, he was a good kid and protected Sakura fiercely. You must have heard about him, she called him her guardian angel."

Temari nodded, she had a few memories of Sakura laughing about the wounds her guardian angel had doled out onto unsuspecting assholes.

"He got straightened out though, started dating a good girl named Joyce. Rumor mill says it turned sour though." Ino felt a rush of pride at her friend's face. If you need a background check it's faster to call Ino Yamanaka then a PI. The natural blond knew enough people to know a little about a lot of people. She heard almost every bit of good gossip and made sure to double check sources. "Sakura got him a good position at the hospital and he's a good man according to her. You may want to consider calling our favorite pinkette to confirm."

The female face of Suna Corps had both eyebrows furrowed in thought. Why the hell was her brother taking any interest in a doctor from the system? She slapped herself mentally, it had to be because he was from the system. Gaara had spent a bit of time in there when their father decided to teach him a lesson and now he took a special look at those kindred spirits.

"Get ready." She pushed open the doors to the medical research lab and tugged two white lab coats off the hangers, passing one to Ino she tugged the other over her suit coat. She whistled loud enough to get the lab's attention and let people take in who she was. Someone would have the sense to get Sakura.

"Sakura!" A voice called above the silence and a pink head leaned out of another office. Temari began approaching with long confidant strides, she almost gaped at the nametag on the door. In black lettering was the name Sasuke Uchiha. Perfect.

"Sakura, who's your friend?" She turned to Ino, who had a note pad in hand and looked like she was paying attention. The eldest Sabaku knew however that she was far too busy gaping at the man in front of her.

Pure black hair with wild spikes at the back, several strands kept falling in his face and the his gloved hand would dash up to swipe them away. He had glasses balanced at the end of his nose, but his eyes were so striking you wouldn't notice. Temari offered a hand when Sakura started the introductions.

"Sasuke this is Temari. She runs the people side of this building basically, she hires people and keep track of employees and salaries."

"So you sign my check? I'm very pleased to meet you." Sasuke shook hands and Temari smiled.

_Gotcha. _Ino smirked. Temari could practically read a person' lifestyle choices in their handshake. The blond secretary made a mental note to quiz her later, Temari was an excellent source of all information.

"This is my secretary, Ino Yamanaka." Temari side-stepped to let Ino shake hands with Sasuke. For a brief moment she considered making an attempt to assess him like her tough-as-nails pal but decided against it. Let the experts play with their toys. She smiled softly and he grinned. Ino almost growled, he was faking this smile, faking this laugh. Doing it damn well but regardless of that; he was _faking_!

"Pleasure to meet you, I've heard good things." Temari tossed a glance at Ino and in the back of her head the secretary wondered if her blue eyes were as bewildered as the rest of her.

"I'm glad, I really have to get back to this," he motioned to the tube in his hands, "So I'll leave you ladies to talk." He pushed the glasses up on his face and ducked out the door. Ino chuckled, no one really likes being in the room with the person who signs your check. Especially not when that woman is Temari Sabaku, her entire aura screams power.

"Sakura. We need to talk." Temari shut the office door.

.

Shikamaru Nara wasn't quite sure what to expect this morning when he realized he was spending it with his brother-in-law. Gaara always provided an interesting view on things and he never sugar-coated his opinions, perhaps that was part of his appeal with women - and men - but for Shikamaru Nara it all spelled one very important word; troublesome.

He woke up this morning and his new wife was already gone, but that was normal she started work much earlier than he did. God knows why, he never really saw fit to question it. He stuck his head into the red head's office and an amused smile made its way onto his lips. Gaara Sabaku was standing at the window and tapping his foot.

For Shika this meant several things. Gaara was either a) impatient for some event b) trying very hard to figure something out or c) really pissed off. It was much too early to even contemplate pissing off Gaara so the black haired husband ruled C out almost instantly. Impatient for an event was unlikely seeing as Shika knew the only event this morning was him. Which left him with option B. Which dragged him to a question, what made Gaara Sabaku the CEO tick?

"So who's the girl?" The words were out of his mouth before it was really a thought. It was practically a greeting. Gaara was a one-partner person dating just about 90 billion people a year. It always peaked the lawyer's interest to know who he was hooking up with now.

"Ash, Ashley. But I'm leaving her soon." Gaara murmured over his shoulder. Not once had he looked back at his sister's new husband. "How are you Shika?"

While Gaara had been speaking Shika had been studying the line of Gaara's shoulders, straight and tense. He was really deep in thought about this…whatever this was. Which only drew him further into the depths of intrigue and question.

"I'm like I always am my friend, tired and in love. How are you?"

"I'm...intrigued." Gaara pointed to the file on his desk and the Nara approached with caution. Gaara had a file on this person? Did he do a background check already? Shikamaru filed away this knowledge for further probing later.

_Sasuke...Uchiha. Sasuke Uchiha! _"You met Sasuke? Hmm, that's good. I won't have to introduce you later." Gaara ignored this remark and sighed.

"He has no idea I'm me."

This statement threw the dark haired man for a loop. "He doesn't know you? How the hell does he not know you? Everyone knows you." Shika mentally went back over his conversations with Sasuke and realized that he'd told Sasuke all about Temari and all about her family but he'd not named Gaara once. So as far as Sasuke knew Temari was the CEO's sister and nothing more.

And Sasuke wasn't the kind to google someones brother - especially not when he knew that he would never be associating with them. So he wouldn't bother. Sasuke didn't know he'd met the CEO, he just thought he'd met - and surely Gaara played this angle - a number guy from the floors above.

"I don't know how he doesn't know, he just doesn't. It's amazing. Shika," Gaara turned and paused, "You know him. Never mind then." Gaara seemed to lose all the intense interest that he had in about 3 seconds flat.

"What? What were you about to ask." Shika devoted all his attentions to his friend now, mostly because Gaara wasn't one to stop himself from doing anything. He cursed internally at the look Gaara gave him. If he didn't say it before, it was clear he had no intentions of indulging Shika's request now. "Fine fine, I know. So what does Sasuke Uchiha mean to you? Besides being your brother-in-law's old friend."

"He means nothing." Gaara shifted his attention back to the window and Shikamaru moved to stand beside him. "So help me Shika if you start that-"

"You know that I hate it when you do this, you know it never works with me, I'm your lawyer Gaara. Full disclosure comes with the deal."

The glare on that red head's face could only be described as vicious. "Sit Shika, sit." Gaara motioned at his chair and the Nara's guard came up. For a brief second he wondered if Gaara was willing to kill him in his office, he wrote this conclusion off when Gaara's pen was lifted. As easy as it was to kill someone with a pen, it was much too crude a weapon for Gaara to use.

"If you know Sasuke then I expect he'll be calling you soon...care to get a coffee?"

Gaara put the back of the pen in his mouth and leaned against the desk, as he was about to begin however, the door open and Shika's smile reappeared at the sight of his wife.

"I'm on my way to inspection. Care to join?"

"No, thank you Temari."

"Shika?"

"Evidently I'm to expect a phone call," He looked at Gaara as he stood up and his fingers automatically made their way to his suit to straighten it as he walked over to his wife, "and Gaara wants to be there when it comes," He leaned against the partly open door and shook his head. "So no thank you." He kissed her cheek and waited until she walked away to close the door. "So let me clear the air. You met my old friend, dropped my name so now he's going to call me. What am I going to say?"

"Whatever you want." Gaara made it sound absent.

"I know you to well for that tone. What do you want me to say?"

"That I'm nobody, a guy who looks at numbers all day. Shika, I just, for once it'd be nice to be judged on me not by my money."

Despite how stupid it sounded Shika understood what he was saying. When people met Gaara Sabaku they met the CEO of Suna Corps. A big name with big bank accounts, most people didn't care what he was like. They just wanted his money. Shika nodded to himself, so essentially he wanted make a friend without being a famous name.

Normality, that's not a horrible thing to aim for.


	4. No Rest For The Good Doctor

Sasuke mulled over his day as he inserted the small glass vial into its slot in the holder**. **In a very clinical fashion, remnants he supposed of his med-school days, he began dividing the events of today into two columns. Pro and con. Pro was good, con was bad.

He'd met Gaara, the intriguing red head who'd driven him to work - he called this a pro. He'd met Shikamaru's wife Temari - another pro, even if the blond was the scariest woman he'd ever met. Sakura and he had made a small breakthrough in the fight against insomnia _sans _side-effects - pro. Ino Yamanaka had seen straight through his fake smile - this was definitely a con. How she had done it, he didn't know, but she had seen straight through his act and down to his cynical self.

The Uchiha scowled. He'd spent weeks practicing that act, that smile, hell he might have spent months getting it right. He had practiced it out at bars and at work and it had taken her three seconds to nail him as an actor. As much as it pissed him off, there was a grudging respect, not many people could do that without being an expert in deception. For a moment he hesitated, could the platinum blond be a...no. No damn way would an expert in deception work as a secretary.

Pushing the holder into a fridge he shut the door and leaned his head against the handle as he thought. _How the hell do I get a free moment? _The raven was finding it very difficult to assess the situation with all this noise running around him. The hum of machines, the numerous doctors who were discussing random projects, tests being ran, phones ringing and more. His own thoughts felt too loud. He needed quiet in his mind, so he needed quiet in his surroundings, or at least to not feel so closed in.

"I know that look." Sakura smiled. He could see her reflection in the glass of the little fridge and smiled back. "That's the Uchiha look for claustrophobia. Feeling a little trapped?" She reached out and tangled her fingers in his hair for a moment, then slid her grip to the back of his neck to guide him to stand straight. "It's much easier to deny anything I say if you're not filling your face with a handle."

Sasuke laughed quietly. True enough he reasoned, it was easier to say she was wrong if he wasn't eating a handle. "I suppose it's just one of those days." He sighed miserably.

"Everyone has those days. Most of us call in sick and take a mental health day. You work it off. Perhaps you should just go on home?" She raised one eyebrow at him and he nodded gratefully.

"Perhaps you're right. You usually are."

"Hence I'm the senior doctor." She giggled softly and he managed to nod through his chuckling. "Go home Sasuke. Take a breath or two, who knows it might not kill you." She laced her fingers with his and they walked to the exit of the lab together. He took the chance of her distraction to study his old friend. He'd watched this little girl grow up, she'd done the same to him, and he'd seen her every heart-break, every achievement and every bright smile.

Well at least when he was at her house he did. While he was at the Haruno house he tried to keep himself a little more reigned in, it wasn't easy but the Haruno's deserved of the people who took him into their houses deserved his civility, so that's what they got. He made a point to only let loose when he was out doing something he shouldn't. His logic at the time was that he was already breaking laws, why bother stopping at one law. That's like stealing a candy from the jar and only bothering to take one.

"Do you mind-"

"Calling a cab while you punch out? No I don't mind. Go." She swatted him jokingly and pulled out her cell phone smoothly. He nodded and walked away, pulling out his own phone as he walked. In seconds after he had sent a text message to Shikamaru. He hadn't forgotten, he had to make sure this Gaara wasn't a nut case. Shika would tell him straight.

**Hey Shika, gotta talk to you. Call me in 15. **

He sent it and punched out quietly, attempting to not disturb a few other people on their break. He could hear them talking, something about a red head CEO, but ignored it. He had no interest in any CEO's, 90% of them were snobs, the other 10 used to gamble on his fights as a child. Why the hell should he care about those assholes.

"...abuku, he's - Oh hey Sasuke!" One of the girls, someone he now recognized as a lab tech stood up and hugged him in greeting. He let the other two hug him, quietly tolerating the kissed cheeks he received from one, and hugged them all back. He'd discovered early on that people who wanted to hug him were often happier when he let them.

"Hey Tamara, ladies." He greeted the first by name but he didn't know the other two so he went the polite approach. Tamara smiled broadly at the raven haired man. "I'm terribly sorry but I'm leaving and there's a cab-"

"Oh you can't leave yet!" Tamara exclaimed and dragged him back to their table by his hand. He sat unwillingly and smiled indulgently. 5 minutes, he could spare five minutes. "We were just talking about the CEO, have you heard about him?"

Sasuke nodded slightly. He'd heard about his efforts about designing this building but that was about it. He wasn't terribly interested, Temari was the boss he reported to if he wasn't going to Sakura apparently. She was head of personnel apparently. So why bother himself with knowing anything about this other guy.

"Well his name is G-"

"Yo? Sasuke, the cab's here, you coming?" Sakura dragged him away quickly. She knew he wasn't a gossip whore like _some _and felt she owed it to him to save his ass from what she considered to be an annoyance. She could plainly see the relief in his eyes when he called his regrets back to the three women. He gripped her hand a little tighter to show his silent appreciation.

Shikamaru called him as soon as the door to the cab closed.

"Hold up Shika, 2348 Rousing Place please." Sasuke informed the cab driver quietly before putting his phone back to his ear, "Hey Shikamaru."

"So what was so urgent you needed me to call?" His friend sounded exhausted, but then he always did. Shikamaru lived in a constant state of exhaustion and fatigue. He spent seventy percent of his time asleep but the thirty percent that he was awake for he did amazing things. Namely, representing a huge company like the one Sasuke worked for. He did some amazing stuff, 30% of the time.

"I wanted to ask your opinion on something - or someone. Gaara Sabaku, heard of him?" He raised one eyebrow automatically.

"Yes I've heard of him. He works on one of the upper floors...like 8 or 10 or something. I dunno. It's not something I find totally important. Why?" Shika was yawning, Sasuke could hear it. Probably only woke up 3 hours ago. Mentally he chuckled. Lucky bastard could get up at 11 and go to bed at 2. The raven got up at ridiculously early hours and went to bed at ridiculously late ones. They were polar opposites, but when you've known someone as long as they have known each other, you don't just bail because your different people. It's like divorcing your wife of 70 years, there's just no sense in it.

"I met him today. He drove me to work. Picked me up out of the rain too, but I figure when he mentioned your name..."

"You'd make sure he wasn't a crazy person dropping my name. Well he's a good guy. Great friend." The Nara paused for a second, and Sasuke could hear someone speaking in the background. "I'm a bit busy at the moment Sasuke."

"I didn't break up a freaking board meeting or something, did I?"

"No, I'm just busy right now, I'm going into a meeting, but lemme guess neither one of you thought to get the others number?" Sasuke stayed silent. Bugger, he knew he'd forgotten something, the red head's number was that thing. Shika laughed softly. "Well do that creepy memory thing you do, here's his cell phone, 555-0839."

"555-0839. Thanks man, talk to you soon?" Shika said something about coffee before he addressed someone else. Sasuke hung up. The driver stopped at the apartment complex and took Sasuke's proffered money. Sasuke got out of the car and ignored the wave from the man smoking outside the apartment. As he rode the elevator, he repeated the phone number to himself silently.

Sasuke rubbed Jynx absently as he walked in and sat on the couch. He jotted the cell phone number down, he could remember a number for years after hearing it once, but he didn't like to. It took up space and there was already a lot rattling around in that head of his. The raven kicked his feet up on the couch arm and Jynx leaped onto his chest.

"Purr-mew!" She greeted him fondly and he went to reply but instead jolted when his cell phone rang. He glanced at the number and recognized work. The hospital.

"Hello? This is Dr. Uchiha...What? Oh god!" He flew off the couch and out the door, still on the phone as he locked up. "I'm coming right now. I'll be there soon."

.

.

"Harriet! Harriet where is he?" Sasuke came running into the hospital faster then he'd ever ran before. Harriet met him in the lobby and pulled his dripping coat of his shoulders. The rain hadn't stopped since this morning and it didn't show any signs of it. She threw his coat over a chair in the office and grabbed his wrist to drag him towards the ward he worked in.

"You can't worry about him right now, you need to calm the ward down. They're all panicking and they won't talk to anyone. Olivia and Tammy are demanding to see you. So you need to get them to calm before the nurse's sedate them." She took them both up the stairs in a hurry and when they reached the ward Sasuke didn't even bother with his white doctor's coat.

There were 9 kids in the ward and he had to somehow calm 8 of them. Olivia and Tammy would be handful on their own but the other 6 would be just as difficult. He paused outside the door for a single second before Harriet jerked him into the hall. There were papers scattered around and 8 kids were sobbing and panicking. Sympathy washed over him, when you live with the same people for a long time at that age you get attached fast and that would be make loss even harder.

"Dr. Sasuke!" Several small hands latched onto his pants and tugged. He dropped forward and engulfed the kids in a hug. "Joshua just started-"

"I know. I got called." He looked over to Joshua's now empty bed. Joshua Miller, 7, he had leukemia. Sasuke had been his attending doctor in the ward, but he was only consulting with the oncologist. Joshua had been declining recently but there had been so much hope...Sasuke felt pain lance through his heart. He hated it when he lost a patient.

Deromi came up behind him and only his sniffles told Sasuke he was there. The Uchiha would've hexed if he were anywhere else, Deromi and Joshua were good friends. They chatted with notes and drawings, often being scolded for throwing paper planes at each other by the night nurses. Sasuke turned and let the little boy bury himself in his chest. Harriet put some kids into their beds, promising that Sasuke would be by the say goodnight as soon as he got Deromi and the others to bed.

Sasuke put Deromi down and hooked up his monitor's. After a night like tonight, he would definitely have a terror, someone would have to sit with him. Likely Sasuke himself, not many of the nurses knew the procedure and Deromi couldn't very well tell them they were wrong. The raven went around and tucked in every one of the kids with a warm smile. Once everyone was asleep Sasuke got a chair and got comfy beside Deromi. Harriet patted his shoulder fondly and comfortingly.

As she walked from the ward she sighed, this had to be agony for Sasuke and he was still putting his energy into making it easier for the kids. She hit the button for the elevator and murmured, "Poor kids."


	5. Two Phone Calls and One Error

**A/N: **Ridiculously short chapter, but I'll make up for it in the next one. I just wanted to get this little thing out.

Without further ado,

* * *

"Mao?" Gaara walked out of his office and leaned on the desk of his faithful assistant. Mao Tenshi looked up at took the papers in his hands automatically. He smiled and leaned over the back of her chair so they could consult quickly. "See these figures, they have to be wrong..." He scowled and she nodded, turning and quickly punching something up on the computer, she laughed. He raised an eyebrow and made a noise of question.

"Someone forgot a zero." She added the zero and he laughed too. Clerical errors, what a bitch. He took the papers and paused at his door. "When is your vacation starting? Friday right?"

"I'm off for a week, Friday then Monday-Thurs. Alright?"

"You know my office will be a mess when you get back?" He smiled when she laughed out loud. Mao was so easy to please and she loved knowing that she was an essential person in his life. Mao was an extremely bright woman but she had a nurturing aspect to her where she wanted to be needed. Perfect for him because he did need her. He went to go back into the office when the phone rang and Mao answered. He turned around to face her, just in case the call was vital.

"Suna International, Mao Tenshi speaking." She put a smile in her voice with ease then it brightened. "Oh Sakura-san hold on. Gaara do you mind if I kinda-"

"Space out? Feel free, you deserve it." He shut the door to his office at the sound of Mao's laughter. He sat back at the desk and continued with the papers on his desk. He took up his pen again and continued on the report that had just been troubling him. Now that that damn zero was there, it made a lot more sense. He signed at the bottom and put into a envelope before putting it into his box of to be sent stuff.

He frowned when his cell phone started ringing and he fished it out, answering it. "Gaara Sabaku." The voice on the other end of the phone was the one he had not expected to hear for a good long time, especially as he left about 3 hours ago. Shikamaru Nara's voice, miserable and quiet, came in through the phone.

"Hey, it's me. I need a favor."

.

.

Sasuke walked out of the hospital a bit mechanically. He'd not lost a patient since he started working in the children's ward. And it only hurt twice as much as it did when you lost an adult. Losing someone so young, and Sasuke had been the one to have to call the parents to the hospital and explain personally just how he died.

He sat with the parents for 3 hours.

And he never wanted to do it again. It was hell. The two people in there had just lost their son and now here was this young guy telling them that he was sorry. The first instinct is denial. Then anger. So they got angry at Sasuke and for a moment he wasn't sure which was worse. When they were in denial he had to tell them he was dead about 16 times, when they were mad Sasuke almost had to call security on the father.

For the first time in his life, he really wanted something _strong _to drink. But he had no time. The grandparents had, no heart apparently, already planned for Joshua's death and had a entire funeral set up and waiting for their call. 'When he goes, we want to be ready,' they say. What bullshit. How callous do you have to be to set up a funeral for a living boy. Sasuke had found himself swinging a fist into the wall before long. The funeral was in 3 days.

He was going to attend. He'd call both his jobs and booked the day and night off. There wasn't a snowball's chance in hell that he was going to miss it. Every kid in the ward wanted to go, but the director said he could take one. Deromi was the child he decided to take. He needed it, needed the closure. They'd get him fitted for a suit tomorrow so it was ready in time for the funeral.

But goddamn did he want an adult to lean on. _Three days from now,_ he thought fearfully, _I'll be everything to that little boy. I'll be his grounder, his parent, his guardian. Everything. _Sasuke found himself justifiably horrified at the prospect. His cell phone was in his hand dialed and ringing before it was really even a thought.

Shikamaru picked up on the third ring. "Hey Sasuke, give me thirty seconds." Shika put him on hold, and Sasuke leaned back further into the wall. He must have emitted some seriously gloomy waves because several doctors coming in for their shift stopped and asked if he was okay. He nodded briefly and they went away. Shika returned to this phone with a sigh of, "Lemme guess, you forgot-"

"I lost a patient today. He was seven years old." He cut off the Nara. He heard the sharp intake of breath. "The funeral is in three days. Come with me." It sounded like a demand, when it was a lot closer to a plea. Shika was silent for a moment before he could practically feel the nod.

"I'll come. Though I might have a guest. I was supposed to be getting lunch with this Gaara character-"

"Why the hell are you getting lunch with him?" Sasuke frowned deeply, Shika better not be scoping this guy out. He'd wanted an opinion not a inquisition.

"Because I'm curious. Now shut up." Shika paused and said something rapidly to a third party, the raven could hear a pen scratching against a paper on a clipboard. Shika was great at multi-tasking even if he wouldn't admit it, or anybody else saw it. The Uchiha scrubbed a hand against his face but said nothing, if Shika wanted to interrogate this guy then he could feel free. Who was he to intervene if Shika wanted to study every new friend he ever made.

Oh yea, he was the guy who's friends were getting questioned all to hell.

_Great_.

"But you'll come right?" Regardless of Shika's unique ability to annoy the crap out of him, there was no one he wanted more to stand beside him at this funeral.

"I'll even let you borrow a suit from me." Shikamaru hung up and sighed. He'd cancel his lunch with Gaara, Sasuke needed a friend. He groaned as he dialed Gaara's cell phone. He had to admit that the idea of a child dying hurt him. Despite the fact that he was certain he'd be a horrible father, he thought about maybe someday having kids. Temari wanted kids but not right now and 'certainly not this early into our marriage' so he was fine with that.

When Gaara picked up with his customary greeting Shika sighed and spoke.

"Hey, it's me, I need a favor." Shika paused a second, but he could hear Gaara moving about quickly and knew he was getting ready to leave the office in a hurry. Gaara was good like that, if you called him with a problem he would drop whatever he was doing then come get you. Luckily Shikamaru didn't need this treatment today.

"You know how we supposed to have lunch this Friday? We have to cancel it, I'll still be meeting you at the hotel with Sasuke in tow. There's been a death and he wants me to go to the funeral with him."

"I understand completely. Whatever you need Shika." It was only after he hung up that he realized he'd invited Shika to bring Sasuke to a hotel banquet where the red head was being named the guest of honor. No, Gaara Sabaku the CEO was being named the guest of honor, Gaara Sabaku the number-cruncher was about to be outed as the CEO.

Aw crap.


	6. To Salvage An Impossible Situation

How do you handle an impossible situation? When you have one man convinced your one person - Gaara Sabaku, number cruncher extraordinaire - and everyone else knows who you really are - Gaara Sabaku, CEO of Suna International - it's almost too good to be true. Now they're coming together at a party where you're being honored, and therefore exposed.

So basically you're screwed.

Problem: this impossible situation. Solution: pull a maneuver worthy of Houdini. As for the how, well he had no fucking clue. He frowned and checked his watch. Shikamaru would be arriving with Sasuke in ten minutes. So he had ten minutes to come up with a plan. He smiled to himself, or 5 minutes to get his siblings involved.

Smooth as scotch he turned and hid behind a pillar to avoid the drunken women, flashing a smile at the barista that poorly hid her chuckles at his movements. He shrugged and mouthed to her, "When you're popular..." She laughed and he disappeared back into the crowd.

He reappeared at his sister's side with two drinks pilfered from a passing waiter. "Excuse me Temari here's your drink." He passed the drink and smiled warmly. Temari studied him for a split-second before returning to her conversation. He sighed his older sister was very worried about him.

Ever since she'd picked him up at the house earlier she'd been worried about him. She'd never say it out loud, but she was doing all the usual signs. Taking his arm as they walked, keeping nearby, asking if he was okay, to everyone around them it was just typical elder sibling behavior. He and his brother knew better. Temari was not the mother hen type towards her brothers she knew they could handle themselves, so for her to stay so nearby meant she was worried. Absently she reached to him and adjusted his tie, with a small murmur of praise for his outfit tonight. He sighed and smiled back. "You look beautiful too, wait until Shikamaru sees you."

Temari was a vision in teal, the halter-top dress leaving her back bare. Usually he'd think such a dress too revealing for this type of party but Temari could pull anything off elegantly. Shikamaru would definitely approve, the slit up her right leg revealing just enough to be alluring but not enough to be trashy. She'd straightened her hair for this occasion and it made her eyes sparkle when they were framed by the blond. He refrained from sighing. His sister was model pretty, his brother was ruggedly handsome, and then there's him. Red hair and azure eyes - clashing enough to freak people out. Add on top that his eyes were outlined in insomnia markings from his childhood that he'd never get rid of, plus he had a tattoo on his forehead. He certainly stood out in the family picture.

He listened to and kept up with the flow of conversation for another thirty seconds, being certain to look focused when he was checked on. Then he pressed a hand against Temari's back to alert her before he began tracing letters. A code they'd developed after enough parties together, writing on each other's back or hand.

G.o.t T.o T.a.l.k T.o Y.o.u

Temari nodded, as if in agreement with something the man said, before ending the discussion with a vague and non-committal response. They walked away pretending to be engrossed in their own companies workings, the moment they were a suitable distance away Temari rounded on him. "What's happening?"

"I've got a bit of a problem. Remember that file I asked for?"

.

.

Really he couldn't believe Shikamaru had managed to drag him out to this thing. Shika always knew what was smarter for him, but he still couldn't believe it. Left a funeral and now he's on his way to a black-tie party. Shika was probably right this was probably just what he needed to move away from the darkness of that little boy's death.

Now, as he sat in a car that probably cost more than he made in a year, wearing a suit that had been lent to him by a man he'd known for years, he thought that the universe was playing a trick on him. That something terrible would happen to him tonight. He closed his eyes for a second to ward off such thoughts before going into this.

"Stay close to me, smile and do what I do." Shika opened the door and got out, letting out Sasuke before closing and putting on a smile before beginning to slowly make his way into the party.

"Shikamaru! Shikamaru! Where does Suna International stand on..." Reporters began spouting questions and the Nara ignored them fluidly, turning and smiling like an angel. It was eerie, Shika was normally so withdrawn and casual, but as he stood in front of these cameras he almost seemed to be opening up to them. The Uchiha knew it was bull though Shika was acting and doing it well. He turned when Shika did and began walking in, laughing at Shikamaru's whispered joke.

"And tomorrow you'll be on the cover of a magazine with the title 'Who was that handsome man in the suit?'" They laughed and walked in. Immediately upon entering Sasuke felt suddenly out of his league, all these people either ran a company or were dating someone who ran a company. And here he was a normal hospital doctor and researcher.

Well at least he _worked _for a big name company. The thought brought a smile to his face. Shikamaru brought him around and introduced him to legal representation of some other companies. It was odd how normal all these people looked, most of them made millions, and they just looked so plain.

Sasuke found himself at the bar ordering drinks for he and Shikamaru. He turned around and frowned at a flash of red hair before shrugging it off. No chance was Gaara here, Sasuke thought to himself, not a snowball's chance in hell would Gaara ever be caught dead here. In the moments he'd known Gaara, the man seemed to definitely be a no nonsense type, this party was exactly that.

He found Shikamaru having a heated conversation with another man, "Kankuro this is ridiculous, what your brother does is his business-"

"It was his business. Until you made it mine by bringing-"They both clammed up when Sasuke arrived. Shikamaru smiled and took the drink with a murmur of thanks. Sasuke smiled at the other man and offered his hand.

"Sasuke Uchiha pleased to meet you." He glanced over the man; brown eyes, brown hair and a smile that belayed his clipped tone.

"Kankuro. I'm one of Shikamaru's friends." Sasuke noticed the tense aura and nodded.

"Shika, I think I'm going to go talk with - what was her name - Martina." He excused himself hurriedly and walked away. No way was he getting between a lawyer and whatever poor sucker he happened to be tearing apart at that precise second. He strolled past the terrace doors and paused, didn't he know that voice? He shook his head; no way he couldn't know it. He continued walking, and found Martina talking with a few other women. "Martina, _comment ça va?_"

Martina smiled broadly and greeted him in English, probably for the benefit of the girl beside her, who clearly didn't speak French. Sasuke chuckled when Martina kissed his cheeks then began to speak to the other woman. "Should I introduce myself-"

"Oh! No, no, Samantha this is Sasuke. He's one of Shikamaru's friends. Sasuke this is Samantha, she planned this party." Sasuke's eyes widened and Samantha laughed.

"Did you really? Wow," he took a second look at the room around him, "this is amazing. You're really good." Samantha blushed now Martina tapped his arm and tutted affectionately at him.

"_Mon Dieu_ Sasuke, you're making the girl blush. She's had enough of that from the guest of honor."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Who's the guest of honor?" His own curiosity got to him. There was a guest of honor? Shika hadn't said anything about anyone being honored for anything, he sighed, typical Shikamaru behavior though. He was never interested enough on his own to tell anyone else about it. How his wife manages it, he thought, I'll never know.

"You don't know?" Both women seemed startled.

"No, like you said I'm Shika's guest and he's not a very good source of information. Who is it?" Both women laughed.

"He's only been on paper after paper-"

"I don't read the paper." He deadpanned. It was true he didn't, he didn't have time to read the paper. Both women gave him a look that almost made him think he'd confessed to murder and not a lack of information. "I barely have time for my books, the paper just doesn't fit in my schedule."

"Okay, Sasuke what do you do?"

"I'm a children's doctor in the hospital, and a doctor on staff in the Suna International company." Samantha looked appreciative of his profession while Martina looked almost appalled.

"You work for the guy who is being honored tonight and you've got no idea who he is?" For the first time in his life, Sasuke felt an immediate sense of shame at not taking the time to google the guy who paid him. Samantha patted his arm.

"Go get me a drink Sasuke, please." He shot a grateful smile at Samantha and smiled when he heard her cursing as soon as he turned his back. "Jesus Martina, could you be just a little meaner? So what if he's not one of us, he's nice and polite. If he comes back, which I doubt, you better apologize for being such a bitch."

Sasuke leaned on the bar and waited for the bartender to get a free second, one of his friends had tended bar before and she'd bitched a lot about people flagging her down when she was obviously in the middle of someone else's order. He turned to watch the crowds, people-watching he called it, and found himself smiling at some of the more ridiculous outfits.

He paused at another flash of red hair, but before he could investigate further Shikamaru appeared on his left with a bright smile. "So how's Martina, thrilled to see you I imagine. She loved that you spoke French as fluently as you did." He waved to a woman as she passed without ever breaking the sentence.

"She introduced me to Samantha, she planned the party." He gestured around them vaguely, before turning to look over his shoulder. _I know I saw red, _he frowned when the man from earlier appeared. Kankuro was his name if he remembered right. "Hello again Kankuro, how goes it?"

"Fabulous." He shifted to stand beside Shika and Sasuke immediately turned to face them.

"Hey Shika, Sam and Martina mentioned that someone was being honored, do you know what that's about?" He'd barely finished his sentence when both men smiled. "Jeez guys, you both are smiling like I just swore and the principal's behind me." He jested lightly. Kankuro slipped an arm around his shoulders and began walking away from the bar. "What's going on?"

"Nothing Sasuke, absolutely nothing." The two discreetly clapped hands behind the Uchiha's back.

Neither of them were surprised when Shikamaru's text message alert went off. Vibrate, so the only sign was that Shika's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden vibrations. He checked his phone behind Kankuro then turned to Sasuke with a raised eyebrow. "So have you called Gaara yet?"

"Gaara? Oh no I haven't. I wasn't sure if I should, I mean he only drove me to work once-"

"Exactly. You two should get drinks, you liked him didn't you, your psycho alarm didn't go off?" When Sasuke shook his head, Shika grinned. "See, no alarm bells, call him."

Sasuke gave an apprehensive grin before shrugging, "Eh, what the hell? Might as well." He slipped out his cell and dialed the number as Shika read it. "Hey Gaara, it's Sasuke Uchiha, you drove me to work a while back?...Yea, I was wondering if you maybe wanted to go out and get a drink…Tyra's is this jazz bar off of…You know it? Do you want to meet me there in say a half hour?...Great, I'll see you there."

He closed the phone and smiled at Shika, "So I'm on my way out, I'll grab a cab." He hugged his friend and shook Kankuro's hand before turning around to walk out.

"Sasuke? I just wanted to apologize for earlier," Martina materialized in front of him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Sasuke shrugged.

"It's fine." And really she was right, he should probably figure this stuff out before he came to any kind of party again, it just made sense.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to take a few moments of your time to say thank you to the man who made this entire endeavor possible," Sasuke turned, Martina still holding onto his arm. Shikamaru appeared, saying something and attempting to guide Sasuke to the door.

But Sasuke's gaze was locked on the stage, where the same red head who picked him up in the rain and drove him to work was walking across the stage and shaking hands with the MC.

"Gaara?"


End file.
